Does Your AC System Have A Water Leak?

A water leak is no laughing matter. You come across a small puddle somewhere in your home and the first thing you wonder is why and how it’s accumulated. Even more concerning, what kind of impact will it have on the interior of the property?

The thing about water leaks inside of a home is they can cause serious damage in a very short period of time. So if there is ever any standing water in your house, you must be quick about cleaning it up and preventing subsequent damage that could cost a lot of money.

As for the cause of the leak, one of the most common sources is the AC system. But as you take steps to diagnose the problem, you must first stop the issue from occurring if your air conditioner is the culprit.

That means shutting down the system before you do anything else. This will prevent further water leakage and hopefully reduce any damage that might have been sustained by your system or your floor, walls, or ceiling. From there, clean up all of the water that you have found to minimize the effects of water damage that might take place.

Now that you’ve taken care of the current mess, let’s figure out how to prevent future calamities from happening in your home, courtesy of the experts at Bradley Mechanical heating and air.

Where Does the Water Come From

If your AC system is the main culprit behind water leaks inside your home, then you probably want to know how or why the water is getting there. It’s actually a symptom of the normal operational process of the air conditioner.

Water develops on the unit’s evaporator coil which is cools the warm air that is blown over it, this is how your AC unit creates the cold air that comes in through the vents. Condensation emerges on the coil in the form of water drops.

That moisture needs to go somewhere, so most AC systems have a drain pan that feeds into a drain line that is directed out of the home. But if you’ve found water leaking in your house, something may be wrong with one or both of those components.

Symptoms of a Leaking AC System

If your system is leaking water, you could be dealing with any of these problems. Depending on which you are experiencing, you may be facing a simple fix or a complex repair that will require a professional’s attention.

Regular upkeep of your system is the best way to reduce the risk of water leaks and you can save on air conditioning by scheduling routine maintenance appointments and avoiding costly repair bills.

The following are typical signs of a problem with your AC system that will spur a leak inside the home.

Clogged Drain Line

Most AC systems will incorporate PVC piping as the main thoroughfare for moving condensation from your evaporator coil to the outdoors. But if this line is clogged or jammed for some reason, the water will not drain but instead get backed up.

When the water accumulates at the clog it can then collect in the line and the pan and the next place it will go is back into your home.

So the first thing to try is checking the drain line for any dirt or debris. In most cases, clearing the drain line will solve the problem.

Broken Pan

The older the drain pan, the more likely it is to become rusted or damaged. When that happens, the pan can start to leak and instead of the water being directed into the drain line it drips through the compromised areas in the pan.

This one is pretty easy to solve, you simply get a new drain pan and replace the old one.

Dirty Filter

Every AC system needs an air filter in order to work correctly. When your filter is dirty it becomes blocked and that prevents air from evenly flowing over the evaporator coil. Without that warm air blowing, the coil becomes too cold and starts to freeze.

But it’s when the coil defrosts that excess moisture starts to drip down, which can overwhelm the drain pan and too much water collecting in it starts to spill over.

A clean air filter is imperative to the proper operational integrity of the AC system to keep it from getting overtaxed and burning out. But it’s also important for preventing leaks from occurring. So a good rule of thumb is to replace your filter every three months. For systems that are used more frequently, you should change the filter more often, around every one to two months.

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